I make a lot of granola at home, mainly because it’s so easy to make your own and you can control exactly what goes into it. This fig and pecan granola is one of my favourites, with lots of gorgeous pecans, dried fig and plenty of autumnal spice with cinnamon and ginger.
It is naturally sweetened with a little maple syrup and made with olive oil rather than butter or coconut oil. I love it sprinkled over yoghurt with some fresh fruit, for a nutritious and filling breakfast (although I have been known to just eat it by the handful, straight out of the jar!).
Why You’ll Love This Fig & Pecan Granola
✅Simple ingredients: Just oats, pecans, dried figs, maple syrup, olive oil and a few spices.
✅A good source of fibre: Oats, pecans and dried figs all contribute fibre, helping you towards the recommended 30g a day.
✅Nuts for extra goodness: Pecans provide healthy unsaturated fats, as well as minerals including magnesium and zinc.
✅Naturally sweetened: There is no need for refined sugar. A little maple syrup gives the granola enough sweetness alongside the dried figs.
Why I Chose These Ingredients
Rolled oats: The base of the granola is oats. They are a really nice, inexpensive ingredient and a great source of fibre too.
Pecans: I love pecans in granola because they become really crunchy when toasted. They also add healthy fats, fibre and a little protein. Walnuts would work well too.
Dried figs: These add little chewy, naturally sweet pieces throughout the granola. They’re also a useful source of fibre and calcium.
Cinnamon and ginger: The perfect autumnal combination of spices. Helping to provide flavour without too much extra sweetness.
Olive oil: I use olive oil to help the granola crisp up in the oven while adding a source of monounsaturated fat.
Maple syrup: Just enough to lightly sweeten the oats and help them become golden and crunchy.
Storage and Shelf Life
Store this fig pecan granola in an airtight jar or container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Allow the granola to cool completely before storing.
Recipe Tips
Don’t add the figs before baking: Dried figs can become hard and chewy if baked for too long, so I add them once the granola has cooled.
Let it cool completely: The granola will crisp up as it cools, so don’t worry if it isn’t completely crunchy when it first comes out of the oven.
Nut free option: Replace the pecans with mixed seeds if you fancy changing it up.
Keep an eye on it: the pecans in particular can go from golden to burnt quite quickly, so give it a stir halfway through and check it towards the end of cooking.
How to Serve
- I love this with yoghurt and fresh berries for breakfast. You could also add a spoonful of nut butter and some seeds, if you want to make it more substantial.
- It makes a lovely crunchy topping for overnight oats or chia pudding too.
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Fig & Pecan Granola
Equipment
Ingredients
- 200 g rolled oats (2 cups)
- 100 g pecans, roughly chopped (1 cup)
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 4 tbsp maple syrup
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 75 g dried figs, chopped (½ cup)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C fan / 190°C / 340°F.
- Add the oats, chopped pecans, salt, cinnamon, ginger, maple syrup and olive oil to a large bowl. Mix well until everything is evenly coated.
- Spoon the mixture onto a large baking tray and spread it out evenly.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and give it a good stir. Return to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Leave the granola to cool completely on the tray. Once cool, stir through the chopped dried figs.
- Transfer to an airtight container or jar and store at room temperature.
Notes
- This will store in an airtight jar for up to 2 weeks.
- For a nut-free version: Replace the pecans with pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
- For extra flavour: Replace some of the maple with equal amounts orange juice. The flavour works really well with the figs, cinnamon and ginger.
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